There is already advice on how to act around a person that you don't like, but who likes you. Imagine how much more awkward it is, if this person dislikes you back! Chances are you will meet with them sometime. This article is mainly for teens in social occasions, where etiquette differs from school behaviour.

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Steps

1

Try to avoid the person totally, if possible. Try not to look at them. This makes it easiest for you; it minimizes contact.

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2

Interact with caution. Sooner or later, someone may want you to interact with the person. You need to analyze this depending on the situation. Remember that simply saying, "I totally dislike this person", won't do in an elegant social occasion where whole families are present-likely, your parents are friends with the parents of this person. One situation is where the person getting you to meet up with the person you dislike doesn't know you dislike each other much. In this case, simply make up an excuse, "I have to to get a pencil. I'm too tired to get up. Ask someone else." If they persist and eventually figure out that you are avoiding this person, tell them privately or softly, "No offense, but I don't really like him/her much." If asked why, say, "Ehh, just his/her behaviour...we just don't get along that well."

3

Analyze if this person knows already that you and this person don't get along. In this case, assuming that the others around will not listen or already know about you and this other person disliking each other, simply say, "You know we don't get along. I don't want another fight to happen."

4

If you accidentally make eye-contact with the person or are near him/her, simply walk away like nothing happened. Start talking to someone else, fidget with your bracelet, appear busy, and not interested in talking.

5

Avoid contact with your parents, or the parents of this person. They will often be major culprits in bad situations. They might say, "Have you seen my son/daughter yet? You might want to go talk to him/her." If they see their son or daughter nearby, just to be social, they might say, "Hey! Come and talk to us!"

6

Avoid a situation. Once a parent or any adult tries to get you to talk to the person (without knowing that you are in a fight) simply say that you are busy. Say, "I promised I'd meet ----(place name here) right now, sorry, maybe later." If you are in a car and the person is outside, and your parents want you to approach the person, make up an excuse, "My legs hurt. I'm tired. I have the cramps." Be street-smart and clever.

7

Be ready for other's intervention. Sometimes, a well-wishing adult, knowing fully of the situation may try to get you and the other person to be friends again. If you don't want to do this, then appear dejected and say, "We'll see, we'll try not to fight." You are not saying that you will be friends by saying this.

8

Keep in mind that a confrontation may take place. How to act depends on the kind of confrontation. If you must approach this other person because an adult asked you to, appear rude and cold, look down and say, "My mom sent this to you", then flee away. If the person approaches you in a similar way, or even in a nice way and you don't like them, just nod before heading away.

9

Remember that the person may choose to fight or argue. To avoid embarrassment and unnecessary questions, take the fight to a private place, like the bathroom, an unoccupied room, etc. If this cannot be done, talk softly, and avoid the use of extreme facial expressions that may show others you are fighting. Supposing you don't want to make up with them, state that you are not interested in a friendship, state your complaints against them, listen to them if you want to, then walk away.

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In the long-run, it may help to tell your parents that you don't like this person so that they may not force you to associate yourself with them often. This only works if your parents trust you and know you are mature.

If the person is arguing with you just simply walk away and go talk to someone you can trust about your feelings.

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